Lord Mountbatten came to India as Viceroy along with specific instructions to
- Abalkanize the Indian sub-continent
- Bkeep India united if possible
- Caccept Jinnah’s demand for Pakistan
- Dpersuade the Congress to accept partitionCorrect
Explanation
The correct answer is D because Lord Mountbatten was sent to India in 1947 with the primary mission of transferring power to Indian hands as quickly as possible. His specific instructions from the British government were to explore all possibilities of keeping India united through the Cabinet Mission Plan. However, after assessing the ground reality and the intense communal riots, he realized that partition was inevitable. He then focused his efforts on persuading the Indian National Congress leadership, particularly Nehru and Patel, to accept partition as the only practical solution to avoid a civil war and ensure a smooth transfer of power.

Related questions
More UPSC Prelims practice from the same subject and topic.
- Prelims 1998GS1history
The educated middle class in India
- Prelims 1998GS1history
Assertion (A): The Khilafat movement did bring the urban Muslims into the fold of the National Movement. Reason (R): There was a predominant element of anti-imperialism in both the National and Khilaf…
- Prelims 1998GS1history
Assertion (A): Partition of Bengal in 1905 brought to an end the Moderates’ role in the Indian freedom movement. Reason (R): The Surat session of Indian National Congress separated the Extremists from…
- Prelims 1998GS1history
Assertion (A): The first ever Bill to make primary education compulsory in India was rejected in 1911. Reason (R): Discontent would have increased if every cultivator could read.
- Prelims 1998GS1history
Assertion (A): The Congress rejected the Cripps proposals. Reason (R): The Cripps Mission consisted solely of whites.
- Prelims 1998GS1history
Assertion (A): Gandhi stopped the Non-cooperation Movement in 1922. Reason (R): Violence at Chauri-Chaura led him to stop the movement.